Signs are often used to identify, promote and/or advertise goods and services. Conventional signs typically utilize one or more static or unchanging images to provide advertising or identification of a product or service.
Efforts have been made to integrate electrical components into signs in order to provide animated or dynamic images and advertisements. By way of example, electrically-animated signs have been constructed using arrays of electrically-controlled lights, illuminated gas-filled elements (e.g., neon lights), and electrically-driven moving components. While these prior signs provide limited animation, they are often relatively complex in manufacture and therefore, are relatively expensive to produce. Furthermore, these prior electrically-animated signs typically consume a relatively large amount of electrical power during operation, thereby generating undesirable operating costs. Moreover, the relatively high voltages and currents used to operate these signs can raise fire and safety issues.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved animated sign assembly which overcomes at least some of the drawbacks of prior sign assemblies and which implements electronic paper to provide an animated image in a simple and cost-effective manner.